Beginnings
by ChattyCat
Summary: Amaterasu's life before Nippon, Orochi, everything. Amaterasu had lived a sheltered life until the day a ship crashed on the Celestial Plain. The boy who came from it tells of evil and prophecies. Oh Izanagi, you can't keep Ammy out of love forever.
1. The News

Hello again! I had this idea after posting _Okami: Spring_, and couldn't resist sharing it. As with _Spring, _if I get five or more reviews (I like constructive criticism, sue me!) I post a new chapter. I realize this is kind of short, but I think once I get rolling the chapters will get longer. Check out my FanFiction profile for a link to my DeviantArt profile, and you can see some of my drawings, and possibly clues to what is coming up next (I'm evil, aren't I? But everybody likes a good cliffhanger. Maybe I'll do riddles.) Enjoy and review!

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><p>Amaterasu sat on her balcony and surveyed the Celestial Plain. The cherry blossom trees bent with the wind and the smooth wind caressed the girl's face, yet she sighed sadly nonetheless. Her father, Izanagi, had requested that they meet for an important conversation over a formal dinner, just the two of them. These talks had never ended well. The last time they had spoken tensely like this was the day Amaterasu had "become a woman." With her mother gone, the uncomfortable tasks of a mother had fallen to Izanagi, who made the moments even more awkward with his most of the time inaccurate information. Amaterasu cleared up her unanswered questions with her best friend, Kei. Kei was a celestial, and was <em>very <em>outgoing. This countered Amaterasu's quiet, reclusive, petite personality. Amaterasu's personality reflected her body type. Thin, tiny, and slender, Amaterasu looked as if she had some sort of disease that didn't allow her to gain weight or become any tanner than a pale peach. Kei was a dark sand, with long, twisting blog hair, and looked like she spent all of her time at the beach. Sadly, the closest thing to a beach on the plains was the rocky edge of the Reflecting Pool. The Celestial Plains were covered in lush hills and silver lakes, not beaches. The Reflecting Pool was forbidden to animals and celestials alike. Amaterasu, being the good girl, never had the spunk to disobey direct orders from her father. Neither had anyone else on the island, apparently, for her father was king of the plains. A light knock disrupted Amaterasu's thoughts. It was about time for the meal. Amaterasu's white hair was stunning against her silky grey halter top dress, which draped elegantly against the girls bare feet. Unlatching the door, Amaterasu was greeted by her personal servant, Sudai. Sudai had tended to her ever since she was little, which was a very long time ago, making the servant very old. Amaterasu couldn't understand how she stayed so young looking, when decades had passed since she could remember. Sudai gestured for Amaterasu to exit her room, she complied, passed through the hallway, and descended the stairs. Her father rose from his seat as Amaterasu entered the dining room, which had an oak table resting in the center. The table was filled with mashed potatoes, homemade bread, peas, and aromas that drifted into Amaterasu's nose, pleasing her. It was a holiday come early. She grimaced at the roast turkey that was set in the center. Amaterasu was a vegetarian, and the sight of roasted flesh disgusted her deeply. She felt that taking another life for one's own enjoyment was selfish and cruel. These beliefs could be traced back to Amaterasu's mother, Izanami, who taught her daughter that all life was sacred. Izanagi was a meat n' potatoes man, never adapting to his family's ways. Amaterasu's father stood by his daughters chair. His jet black hair waved around his ears, and his teal eyes bright. He looked tense from the anticipation of the night ahead, as did Amaterasu. The girl took her seat opposite her father, and they sat in silence. Izanagi glanced back and forth, from his daughter to his food. He was obviously searching for a topic starter, and finally began the talk he had put off for so long.

"There is a reason I asked you to dine with me tonight, Amaterasu." Amaterasu refrained from rolling her eyes,

"Do you know where we are?"

"Yes Father, we are on the Celestial Plain."

"And, who are we?" This question puzzled Amaterasu.

"We're… um… Celestial Plain-ers?" Izanagi chuckled.

"Close, but we are Celestials. Do you know what 'Celestial' means?" Amaterasu mentally thrust her palm at her face. She _knew _they were Celestials, but she was nervous.

"Father, why are you giving me lessons?"

"Answer the question, Amaterasu." Izanagi ordered. Amaterasu was feeling pressured.

"It means heavenly."

"And thus, we are…" Izanagi prompted.

"Heavenly." Amaterasu finished.

"That is what I need to explain to you. We on the Celestial Plain are heavenly. But you and I, we are… more than that." _More? _She knew they were sort of royal, but her father had never been pompous about his titles. Izanagi realized he had used the wrong choice of words and continued, "What I mean to say is…" He took a very deep breath, "We are gods." Amaterasu was silent. She had never preformed any miracles, she couldn't _fly_… Could gods fly? She didn't know. She wasn't very religious, "I know this must be difficult for you, but we have responsibilities to our people." Amaterasu attempted to keep her cool. It was proving difficult.

"I find this hard to believe." She stated blankly, "How do I know this isn't a practical joke?" She tried to lighten the tension with a small smile. Her father ignored this.

"This is not a _joke, _Amaterasu. You cannot avoid your fate any longer. I am the god of creation, and you, my daughter, are the goddess of the sun."

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><p>It's hard to do those scenes where everybody talks and talks and talks. Anywho, if you liked this story, review, and then check out <em>Okami: Spring. <em>

Sayonara!

ChattyCat


	2. The Tale

Hello, readers! I would like to thank my reviewers _so much _for leaving their thoughts on my story. These people are as follows: Triforcekitty, StormofRoses, NeonGreenSheep, LoverofWhiteWolves, and Jao Jao. Much appreciated! And, since I forgot to do it in my other story and Chapter 1, _the disclosure! _

I do not own Okami, or its' characters. Or the Shinto myth, which I slightly tweaked for my story. I own some minor characters, but if you want to steal their names, it's fine by me.

_P.S. Does anybody know who owns the Shinto myth? Tell me!_

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><p>Amaterasu had quietly accepted her fate as goddess of the sun. Her father had performed an act of which Amaterasu could not explain, and thus, the training began. The grueling, intense training. Sweat dripped down Amaterasu's nose, and a wheeze escaped her throat. How could she go on? Her muscles ached from being pushed so hard, and she felt as if her heart was going to pop from pumping great amounts blood. Maybe it would, and that would put her out of her misery.<p>

"Again." Izanagi simply ordered. Amaterasu sucked in as much air as she could manage, and repeated the moves that her father had engraved into her brain.

_Jump, air spin while kicking right leg, land, punch with right hand. _She reminded herself. _Or was it punch, then jump? No… no, it was spin, then jump… no, no, no! Ugh, Dad's gonna kill me for forgetting this again. _Finally, the goddess remembered the formation. _Jump, spin, kick, punch. _She repeated it again and again in her thoughts and tried once more. Her father was impressed.

"Well done, Amaterasu. Though I regret to inform you that this technique will not aid you in your fight against demons."

"Demons?"

"These moves will barely damage an average human, but you _must _start at the bottom to rise, yes?"

"Human?""You have a lot to learn, Amaterasu…"

"Then start at the beginning! I am _so _sick of having to wonder what's going on, and who these people are, and what I'm capable of! Did you ever even consider that I _might _have wanted to be something _other _than a savior to people I've never heard of?" It was amazing how she could keep such a plain expression while baring these unbridled feelings. Her father laughed heartily at her sudden burst of irritation and impatience.

"The beginning, eh? Let me see…"

_The universe came into existence from a jumble of matter. Eventually, the mass separated to form the heavens, and the earth. From a seed of the earth, the deities were born. Gods and goddesses that represented all things good and bad, and also, the god and goddess of creation. These two were considered the "first humans." They made the land, and also created many new gods. But still, they were lonely. After nine exciting months, a beautiful baby girl was born. But this blessing did not come without a price. The goddess of creation could not handle the taxing act of giving birth, and became very sick. The strong-willed queen pushed herself through the worst bout of the sickness for her child, and, from her cot, watched the little girl grow up. In the dawn of the girl's fifth birthday, the queen of the heavens whispered into her servant's ear._

_"Find the vessel." The queen was as sane as ever, and the selfish servant knew that this vessel must have been worth a fortune to the royal family. The queen passed in his presence, and without telling the king, sought out this vessel. The greedy servant searched high and low, to no avail. On his deathbed, he told his wife and young son of the object. The son, being a little boy, could not keep this secret for long. The news of the queen's words spread like wildfire. For generations, men, women, and children all searched for the vessel. Was it gold? Silver? Eternal life? A royal heirloom? Would anyone ever discover it? The great king sent out many men, but still, no vessel. After decades, the fabled object was merely a memory. A legend. Few still had faith that the queen knew what she was talking about. But the king knew his wife, and he just _had _to find the vessel._

"Did the king ever find the vessel, Father?" Amaterasu asked. Sullenly, her father shook his head.

"No, my darling, but the vessel is out there somewhere, and the king is still looking."

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><p>Amaterasu had refused her supper and retired to her room for the rest of the night. The tale of the vessel and the queen had put a damper on her mood. She wasn't sad for the queen, but how many people had wasted their lives searching for what could never be found. She lay in her bed with her silk nightgown and listened to the noises of the dining hall. Suddenly, Amaterasu lurched forward. She had been startled by a commotion from beneath her. Amaterasu threw on her slippers and followed the noises. She anticipated it was Sudai and his frail frame, dropping priceless dishes yet again. Amaterasu was surprised that the usually bustling dining hall was eerily quiet, and empty. A cold meal rested on the table, untouched, and a few of the chairs were flipped over, as if someone had stood too abruptly. Amaterasu leapt over the seats and raced out the door. She spotted footprints in the grass and realized that they were headed towards the Kusanami Field, which was just plain grass spread around for a few hundred yards. Amaterasu didn't like the creepy silence it had always held, and mostly avoided it. Amaterasu slowly stopped as she approached her destination. She could make her father out of the fearful crowd that surrounded a monstrous object unlike Amaterasu had ever seen. It was jet black with designs embroidering the middle that glowed and electric blue. She didn't understand these hieroglyphics, but the goddess understood one thing. This massive ship was <em>not <em>welcome in her home.

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><p>Oh no! What could it <em>be? <em>I don't think Ammy likes it... I'm surprised I didn't procrastinate on this chapter as much as I do on my other stories... Oh well, that's good, right? Anywho, five reviews equals new chapter, so review, please! Also, check out my profile to find a link to my DeviantArt page, because I recently did a _lot _of new drawings. :)

~ChattyCat


	3. The Ship

First of all, thank you's are in order. I would like to give a great shout out to all of my fantastic reviewers, who encouraged me to keep this story going. Secondly, Merry Christmas (or Hanukkah)! I am _finally _on Winter Break, so I hope to write more throughout these next few weeks. Lastly, enjoy the chapter! I realize it's a bit shorter than the others, but it's been really stressful lately. So next time, I'll go for longer.

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><p>Amaterasu forced her way through the confused and angry crowd. She greeted her father with a look of worry and turned towards the gigantic ship. It stood as if it had a right to be there, tall and proud, but it remained closed. Izanagi would have nothing of the sort.<p>

"Akio, Juro, I want you to get the weapons! Ko, Sadao, Takumi, round up the civilians behind a perimeter. Tsuneo, tell general Yuu to get his ass down here, _now. _And- _Amaterasu Omikami get away from this area! _Sudai, _get her out of here!" _The king ordered. His underlings bowed their heads and scurried to accomplish their tasks. Sudai, as old as he was, put Amaterasu with the other nervous people behind the perimeter. Izanagi unsheathed his sword and stood in rank with the other remaining soldiers. The two men returned with blades, cannons, shields, and much more battle equipment. Amaterasu struggled to get a view, and she eventually managed to score a front row seat for the show. She witnessed her father screaming orders, the king's men floating around the ship aimlessly, and, causing quite a commotion, steam flowing lazily out of the giant ship. A few children started to sob. Some women screeched in pure terror. Even the bravest warriors trembled. An enormous staircase was lowered onto the cold dirt, and it silenced the viewers. Izanagi straightened his posture as much as he could, and held his sword in the air as a sign of confidence. Once the stairs sat still on the ground, a figure tumbled out, with long blond hair tumbling after him. Amaterasu couldn't stand on the sidelines after she saw the thick, red, liquid trail that he left behind. She hopped the rope railing and pushed past the guards, her father, civilians, everyone. She held the boy's face towards hers, and saw his beautiful features. His golden hair framed his face, and his eyes were squinted closed in pain. Amaterasu realized this was the most handsome man she had ever lay eyes on. This short moment was fleeting. Izanagi and his men would not allow a royal near any possible threat. It took not two seconds before Amaterasu was pulled from the golden-haired boy's arms, and he himself was placed on a stretcher of sorts, but it was more like a floating bed. Amaterasu kicked and screamed and protested, but the strength of highly trained men overpowered her.

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><p>She was confined to her room with no contact unless father gave the word, which was unlikely until the king calmed down. Amaterasu paced back and forth, determined to convince her father to tell her what he had learned, but his stubbornness usually prevailed. Amaterasu threw herself onto her bed, and thought. She thought about her role as savior to a people unknown to her, she thought about her overprotective, controlling father, and she thought about that bleeding golden haired boy who was likely to be mistreated in the hands of threatened citizens. She thought until she was overcome by a headache, and fell asleep with her face down in the pillows.<p>

The young goddess had accidentally rolled out of bed at approximately two in the morning, and found that her door was unlatched. She groggily stumbled out of her room and into the hallway, and found that a bit of candlelight could be seen from downstairs. Amaterasu followed the light until she came across the dining hall, where her father was leaning over whatever document he had to sign or a peace treaty to be made, but whatever it was, it must have not been too intriguing, for he had dozed off. Amaterasu tip-toed around him and blew out his wax based light gently. She set a light hand on his shoulder briefly, comforted in the dark by the body heat. This moment ended, and Amaterasu reverted back to her rebellious self and snuck quietly out of the little castle. She knew the boy would either be stowed in the medicinal hut, or a jail cell, but the cell was leaning a little more towards a torture chamber. She dearly hoped that it was the former, for that delicate boy wouldn't last too long in _that _room. Amaterasu shuddered at the thought of the single time she lay eyes on a horrible corpse being extracted from the chamber. Amaterasu hadn't the courage to ask for that man's appalling deeds, but that was before her father's peaceful rule. Her great-great grandfather, who's name was yet to be revealed to Amaterasu, and who lived remarkably long, was the main user of the chamber.

Amaterasu reached the flap of the hut in a matter of minutes, but couldn't bring herself to enter. Her entire reputation, no, future as queen of the celestials might be thrown to the wind if she risked a conversation with the foreigner. _Oh, well. At least if I'm beheaded it'll put me out of my misery. _The princess thought. She let out a short breath, rolled her digits into a fist, and entered the hut.

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><p>You know what to do! Read and review! And remember, five reviews equals new chapter. Oh, and by the way, I think that this chapter will qualify me for Beta-ing, so if you noticed how much of a grammar Nazi I am and want my help, feel free to ask!<p> 


	4. The Liar

Hello again, readers. Sorry for the long wait. I had this chapter done for a while, but then I hit a big ol' writer's block and didn't feel up to even editing. I haven't even been online lately. _Anyway, _enjoy. Oh, and 'Annonymous,' sayonara is the casual form of goodbye, whereas sayounara is polite and formal.

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><p>He lay motionless in the middle of a circle of candles, which flickered as Amaterasu entered. His long blond hair was splayed messily, precariously near the flames. These candles, which threatened to set the boy's hair on fire, were an old purifying ritual which rarely worked, in Amaterasu's opinion. The girl quietly stepped over the ring and knelt at the foreigner's side. She shook him a few times to bring him to consciousness, and he moaned so loudly that Amaterasu had to check that no one had heard. She lightly slapped his face until finally, he opened his eyes. Dark blue eyes. Confused, he rested on his elbows and rewarded Amaterasu with a smile.<p>

"Who are you?" She asked.

"Who are _you?"_ He matched.

"This is no time for jokes! My dad's gonna wake up soon and come looking for me, and then we are _both _going to be in serious trouble." He shrugged and crossed his legs indian-style, folded his hands, and sniffed. This was infuriating to Amaterasu, "Quit being so nonchalant! _Who are you?"_ She repeated.

"Fine. My name is Sugawara and I am the king of the universe." Amaterasu huffed at his smirk, which told her he was fibbing.

"No, your not. Now tell me who you really are."

"Well, mon chérie, I suppose I could offer you a bargain."

"You're in no position to bargain. And what does that even mean?"

"Mon chérie? Is your civilization very_ close-minded_?"

"_Excuse me?_"

"Er… have you, perchance, heard of _les français_?" Amaterasu was non-responsive, "_La español? Die deutschen? Gli italiani? Mamma mia. _Well, nonetheless, I am Waka, the god's gift to man!" He announced.

"That's funny, I've never heard of you."

"Mm?"

"We _are _the gods, you idiot! You're on the Celestial Plain!"

"Well, that's certainly a surprise. I suppose my plan _was_ to meet the last three tribes eventually-"

"What are you _talking _about? What are the last three tribes?"

"_Non, non, non. _Let us not discuss this, for I do not even know your name."

"Fine! My name is Izanami and I am queen of the Celestials!"

"I do not believe you."

"Eeugh! Why won't you just answer my questions?"

"And yet you don't answer mine?"

"You are our _prisoner. _I don't have to comply to anything you ask!" Waka crossed his arms.

"You're not treating me like an average prisoner, now are you?"

"Stop turning the question around!" Amaterasu hissed.

"I am going to reply like this until you answer." Amaterasu hit her forehead with her palm and decided that the precious time she had out of her father's watchful eye was running out, and she needed a straightforward answer.

"My name is Amaterasu." She complied.

"And…?"

"_And _I need to know who _you _are! I didn't think there was life elsewhere, but _apparently _there is, so what's it like? Do you have a family? Do you-" Amaterasu said this in one full breath.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. One question at a time, mon chérie."

"Hurry up!"

"I think your time's up." He informed, pointing to the entrance behind Amaterasu. There stood Izanagi, in his nightshirt and pants, barefoot. Amaterasu would have laughed if she wasn't about to be torn away from all men forever. And yet she was allowed to fight humans? Or was it help humans, and kill demons…? Or maybe they were both a threat? She didn't know. She did know one thing, and that was if she didn't think fast and come up with an adequate excuse in a second, Waka would be whisked off to the guillotine, for fraternizing with the heir to the throne. Amaterasu's mind raced through her previously effective excuses, but none of them related to this situation. She would just have to improvise.

"Father! I was just- I was out for a night walk when I caught this filth trying to squirm away! You were sound asleep, so I thought I could punish him myself." _That was probably the lamest improvising known in the history of the Celestials. _Amaterasu thought. She cracked a tiny smile for good measure, but the stone-cold face of her father remained in a tight frown. _Frown _was a bit of an understatement. There was a bit of loathing that crossed his expression. Hopefully it wasn't for his daughter… Amaterasu began to perspire, as did Waka, since no one had spoken for a long, awkward moment. Amaterasu cleared her throat, and shifted her weight from foot to foot. She nearly jumped out of her skin as her father's roar of a laugh sounded. Waka snickered a bit, as well. Amaterasu remained in confusion. Did her father believe in her strength to withhold a prisoner, or…?

"Do not try to fool me, Amaterasu! This child and I had an intriguing conversation before you awoke, and he is no prisoner of ours, but a guest! Meet Ushiwaka, a refugee of the Moon Tribe!"

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><p>Oh, Waka. Such a trickster. Anyway, I figured that Waka knows a ton of languages, but he likes the way french sounds, so that's what he uses most of the time. See you next time! :)<p>

~ChattyCat


	5. The Pool

**Hey guys. It's been a while.**

**So I just got back from a ****_long _****Fanfiction break, and while I did crank out some new stories, I thought I should give this little baby some attention, too. So how many readers do I still have? Anyways, if you're reading this story for the first time, hi! And if you're a reader from the good old days, welcome back!**

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><p>She felt humiliated, embarrassed, deceived. Like they thought it was some big ol' joke. This <em>Waka <em>boy made her look like some obsessed freak. And her _father, _making that huge scene when the ship landed, locking her in the house, playing with her! It was so aggravating.

Meditation had never been so difficult. After being completely distracted by her father's "Royal Council" meeting, she decided to try to clear her mind in the orange tree grove. The beautiful, peaceful grove, filled with trees, flowers, wild life. It wasn't really working.

"Need some company, ma chérie?" Oh, how she didn't. She opened one eye and scowled a bit.

"As much as I'd love to _chat, _I really need to concentrate." She excused herself, crinkled her brow, and went back to pretending to ruminate.

"Wonderful, I'll join you." Amaterasu sighed, defeated. They sat there for about four minutes, both peeking occasionally to see what the other was doing, "Did I _offend _you, somehow?" Waka asked, legitimately, after a long silence.

"Just my pride…" She mumbled in response.

"Excusez-moi?"

"You made me look like a complete _idiot _in front of my father!"

"_Me?_ You did that to yourself!"

"_You _could have just told me that- who- why you were here!" Some quail flew away at the sound of their yelling. She realized that now she was standing over him, fists clenched, breathing heavily. He stood to her level, met her eye line, and his amused smile disappeared.

And then he was kissing her.

She didn't know what to do. It was her first kiss; nothing, absolutely nothing like she expected. But it was amazing. She was so nervous, and excited, and worried, and- and offended. How _dare _he kiss her without asking? They had only met _yesterday, _for goodness' sakes! They hadn't even courted yet! And what would her father say! She could never be queen if she gave herself to the first boy who looked her way. Her mother would be so disappointed, and that decided it for her.

She pushed him off.

"I can't do this." He looked confused, and hurt. She didn't want to explain herself, so she turned and ran onto the gravel path that led deeper into the forest. It wasn't that she didn't like him… he was snarky and teasing and cute… but it could never happen. No one would approve. Amaterasu didn't approve.

She looked elegant in her mauve kimono, but there were tears streaming down her face which dampened her beauty. It wasn't Waka that made her cry. It was the impending fact that she knew in the end she would be forced into an arranged marriage. Her father hadn't enforced this rule yet, he told her it was her choice, but she knew that if she didn't find a suitable, wealthy nobleman by eighteen, her father would make the choice. That was her role, her mother's role, her grandmother's role… the royal women of the celestial plane mainly supported their husbands and looked pretty. They were basically housewives with the benefits of being rich. Amaterasu wanted more than a life of making dinners and housecleaning, she wanted _adventure. _And she couldn't do that if she belonged to someone.

She wiped her tears. Wussing out wouldn't help her now.

_I'm way overthinking this kiss thing. _She thought rationally. _I mean, it's only a kiss. It's not like we're betrothed or anything. I should just go back to the castle, talk to Waka, and apologize. _

She walked calmly through the brush and past the orange grove, staring at her feet most of the way. She was ashamed of her outburst. How unladylike! She kicked a stone down towards the Reflecting Pool, and expected to hear a _sploosh! _but there was only silence. Amaterasu walked in reverse, intrigued. She wasn't allowed near the pool, but… something was off. She slid down through the rocks and weeds and dirt until she hit the edge, wobbling to balance so she wouldn't topple in. She had never seen it up close before. It was beautiful, like liquid silver, dusted with starlight. Why was no one allowed near it? It was so peaceful, so… calming. But something was wrong. She was in a daze; she knew what was going on, but it felt like her eyelids were heavier, her head swam. Her fingers trailed through the water. It was slippery, like gel, but lighter. Softer. It slid through her digits. Almost… alive. She looked into the glossy surface to view herself. But it wasn't her. Well, it was, but something was off. The eyes. Where were the pupils? The dopplegänger looked empty; hollow.

And then it smiled.

And then it reached it's lifeless hands towards the princess.

And then she was gone.

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><p><strong>Bum bum <strong>**_bum. _****Sorry to disappoint (Or excite? Depends on how much you like Waka.) but the next chapter will be from Waka's point of view.**

**Ammy: What about me?! I'm the one who got sucked into- **

**_Anyways!_**

**Just thought I'd let you know.**

**As you probably already know, five reviews equals ****_brand new chapter! _****I know, I'm cruel. And I guess ten reviews would get a paragraph from Ammy's point of view, but that's a lot tah ask of you guys. Maybe a chibi picture of Waka on DeviantArt as a bonus?**

**P.S. I own this story and any original characters in future chapters. And also just drew an OKAMI chibi picture on my DeviantArt, so go check it out. Mah username on there is ChattyKat. See ya next time!**

**P.P.S. Celestials and Gods age differently. She may have lived for a long time, but still, in Celestial years, she's only seventeen.**

**~ChattyCat**


	6. The Kiss

**Hey guys, it's been... a while! Well, as promised, the new chapter, from Waka's point of view. I think this is the only one I'm gonna post from his view, but nothing's set in stone. Enjoy!**

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><p>Even as she was yelling, she was beautiful. Waka wasn't really listening as the princess battered him with accusations and insults. He was captivated.<p>

Waka wasn't one to believe in love at first sight. Or miracles. No, definitely not miracles. After the horrors he had seen? It was laughable, if that was your type of humor.

Amaterasu was one of the most impatient, unforgiving girls he had ever met. It was the mere fact that she was unattainable that made her so alluring. He was quite a flirt back in his home, never really attempting to commit, though it was greatly discouraged. Not that any of the women really gave him a second glance. The men of his tribe were bred for one thing; war. The women? Giving birth to warriors. The only honorable thing to do was die in battle, or in the women's case, childbirth.

Waka was slim for his age. Not warrior material, or so said his superiors. Which was pretty much everyone. He tried to serve his people, but really, if he had even stepped onto any of the brutal battles that his brothers had seen, he would've been slaughtered. Immediately. Probably by his own people.

His father worked in the armory; repairing shields and armor and swords for another hundred years or so. At one point he had fought for his people, but when he lost his left eye, he was welcomed home as a war veteran and was sent to craft even more battle materials. Waka was supposed to follow in his footsteps, but "came up short." The tribe had no use for a boy who couldn't even lift a sack of flour.

What Waka lacked in bulk he made up for with his agility and cunning nature. He was lighter than the rest of his people, which is what kept him alive. That and the pity his father took upon him. After working with swords for a century, he found himself a master swordsman. And a father. As a twenty-fifth birthday present, he crafted for his son a marvelous sword, made of the same material that powered the Moon Tribe's greatest war ship, Maeda. Maeda was only to be used if the Oni overpowered the basic fleets.

Ah, the Oni. The Moon Tribe's greatest foe. But that was a story for another time.

Amaterasu was standing above him now, infuriated by something or other. What were they fighting about again? Her fists were rolled up and her cheeks were turning pink from the argument. He stood to her eye level. Was she still yelling? She drifted into silence.

"And you- um…" She drifted off and stared into Waka's brilliant blue eyes, stuttering awkwardly. Waka followed his instincts and leaned forward, eyes closed. His arms hung limply at his sides, he looked as though he was trying to see how far he could lean over a cliff without falling.

He didn't know what she was thinking, but he was elated. Her lips were soft and warm and smooth and everything he'd hoped. He wanted it to last forever.

But it didn't. She pulled away and left Waka puckered. Her cheeks turned bright red and her eyes widened. What was she so surprised about? He couldn't have been her first... could he? She muttered something inaudible and rushed deeper into the forest, leaving Waka standing alone. So she was just like the Moon Tribe girls, judging others by their looks or social hierarchy. But wait, he was regarded by her as a traveller, not a wimp. So she just didn't like him. That was much, much worse in Waka's eyes.

Disheartened and rejected, Waka sauntered back the way he came. _It_ was _pretty sudden._ He admitted to himself. _But she's just so... _He sighed. How foolish! She was royalty, for goodness' sakes! It this scandal got out, he was sure to be... no, it was too horrible a thought.

Waka was surprised to see a dark figure positioned ahead.

Izanagi.

Waka swallowed nervously and began to perspire. He walked up to meet the king tensely and stood before him in pure terror. He got down on one knee before the king, avoiding eye contact.

"Get up you fool." Izanagi growled. Waka obeyed mindlessly, acting out of pure fear. Waka placed his hands on his knees, standing shakily. He had overstepped his boundaries by about a mile. "I let you into my home. I let you eat my food. I let you enjoy my culture and then you go off with my daughter, doing who knows what!" He yelled.

"Your majesty-"

"Silence!" He nearly screamed. "I know who you are, and your filthy Moon Tribe heritage. My daughter is _pure_." He stated. "I told her you were a guest because she does not know of the evils of your people. I intend to keep it that way. Keep your befouled body away from Amaterasu and away from the Celestial Plain." Waka gaped. What had he done? "I expect you gone by morning. If you decide to defy me again you will not live to see the next sunset."

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><p><strong>So, that's chapter 6! Review's are always appreciated, and, as always, 5=newchapter. Until next time!<strong>

**~ChattyCat**

**P.S. I own this story, but not Okami.**


	7. The Moon

**Hey guys! Well, I had three hours to spare today so I cranked out this little chapter to throw you a bone. I'll try writing more, but I've been working on original stories soo... Well, anyway, he's the new chapter! Back to Amaterasu.**

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><p>Amaterasu coughed and spluttered as she emerged from the pool, drenched to the bone. She gasped as the stinging air returned to her lungs, shivering slightly. She couldn't recall quite what happened–to her it felt like a dream, zooming in and out of focus. She remembered the shadow, how it seemed to reach up to her… she shook the thought from her brain, flicking water from her face and rippling the glass surface slightly. Her eyes adjusted to the darkness slowly, and she felt the eery brush of unfamiliarity on her back. This was <em>not <em>the Celestial Plain. This wasn't anywhere. It was barren, it was unwelcoming, and it was freezing. It was all grass and rocks, and there was a bridge up the massive hill that Amaterasu didn't have the energy to investigate. Amaterasu had trouble staying afloat. She crawled out of the murky water, and realized her movements were unnaturally clumsy. She collapsed onto the dried grass and glanced down at herself. She tried to scream, but only a yelp came out. She had... fur! She had paws! She leapt to her feet and yipped repeatedly in fear. Her... fur spiked on the back of her neck.

_What happened to me!_ She thought frantically, twisting her head back and forth to get a good look at her transformation. She paused for a split second and raced back to the water, stopping abruptly and peering into it at her reflection. She stared into the eyes of a very white, _very_ large dog.

Her jaw parted slightly, revealing pure, sharp, ice white teeth. She was scared for a moment, but regained herself when she realized they were hers. Her clipped ears flattened on the side of her head and a low growl escaped her throat.

She whimpered, backing away from the evidence of her mutation. The grass crunched as she sat on her haunches, looking to the sky for comfort. Where was she? Where was her family? Where was _Waka?_

This was the reason no one was allowed into the Reflecting Pool, she realized. She felt a twisting in her stomach, and knew she should have listened to her father. Her father... How could she have been so _stupid! _A direct disobeying cost her her humanity.

She was lonely. She was scared. A brisk, freezing gust of wind rippled her fur and shattered what little comfort her former warmth held. She looked across the fields. It was completely barren, the only source of life was the moon, grand and full, its rays glinted off of each blade of grass, lighting up her eyes. It was the only link to home, the only thing she knew. Something howled off in the distance. It sounded sad. Alone. Maybe it was just her own subconscious projecting, but she _felt _the sadness. The breeze carried in thin, wispy clouds and blocked out her only connection to the Celestial Plains, and she sat in utter darkness.

How had this happened? What witchcraft could alter a being's physical form? She rose from the grass and tested her body's reaction when she moved. It moved slowly, uncoordinated. She quivered and stepped forward again, trying to find some kind of balance. She stumbled again and lay flat in the grass, breathing in the dust. She realized that her sense of smell was greatly heightened and sighed deeply, intaking the sweet fumes of the flowers. It was slightly comforting and she closed her eyes, and she discovered how exhausted she was. Her limbs were splayed out and she whimpered, drifting off into a deep, stressful sleep.

_You left them behind. _A voice whined. She turned wildly, trying to detect who spoke. Everything was blurry and undistinguishable.

_You abandoned them. _Another raspy voice croaked. Amaterasu tried to speak but found she couldn't.

_You betrayed them. _Everything was gray. She stood in an empty, enclosed room with no way out. She looked up and found four vultures circling her endlessly, with massive wings fully expanded and casting horrible shadows onto the floor.

_It's all your fault. _The last crowed. Amaterasu curled up on the floor, afraid to look. A voice sobbed behind her.

"You've doomed them all." Amaterasu peeked out from her crouching position and gaped at the woman before her. She had short, glossy black hair and sheet-white skin. She removed her head from her hands and had tears streaking down her face. Amaterasu stood and gazed at this small women, in awe.

"Mother?"

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><p><strong>Well, there it is. We'll be back to Waka in the next chapter, so look for my update :). I don't think I've mentioned this before, but you guys know this is a prequel to my other Okami story, right? You don't have to read it to get this storyline, but if you want to get a continuation of this storyline, just check my Profile Page. Review!<strong>


	8. The Bolt

**Alright, after like a year I finally cranked this baby out. I've been working on rewriting my other Okami story (which is connected to this one, but the new one will be much better, so you might want to wait to read it). Anyways, enjoy! We're back to Waka's point of view now, it might still be his POV next chapter too, but who even knows what's happening with Amaterasu at this point.**

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><p>"Amaterasu?" Waka whispered, lightly knocking on her door. "Amaterasu, I just wanted to apologize, you know, about today." It was late, but Waka was eager to remove himself from Izanagi's range of rage, and figured he should leave the Celestial Plain that night. He was met by silence. He crossed his arms and leaned into the door, desperate to speak to her. "I'm really, really sorry, okay? Can you just come out?" Still, nothing. "Alright, I'll take the hint. I just wanted to tell you that I'm going back to my home today and wanted to say goodbye." He sighed. "Can't you even say <em>adieu<em>?" He joked, but earned nothing. He threw common decency to the wind and turned the doorknob cautiously, peering into Amaterasu's room through a small crack. He was surprised to hear no protest, no anger. He pushed it open fully and stepped in, but was surprised to find he had been talking to himself the whole time. Where could Amaterasu have been at that hour? Waka was panicked. Had she not returned yet? It was past midnight! Waka turned on his heels frantically and sprinted down the staircase, not caring if he woke up the whole palace. He forced open the main palace doors and leapt out into the night. Was she hurt? Where could she have gone?

Waka raced back to the Orange Grove, scanning every inch of it. He continued on after where Amaterasu had fled earlier, growing more and more concerned by the second. He spotted her footprints and followed them slowly, making sure not to overlook anything. His heart was about to beat out of his chest. Waka suddenly came upon a pool of dark, swirling water. Ominous steam rose in thick wafts off of the surface. Sitting at the water's edge were a slump of clothes, moist from the mist. Waka flushed a deep red. They were Amaterasu's clothes... Was she wandering out, alone, in the night... naked? Suddenly, the water started to quiver. Was she skinny-dipping? Waka moved forward, out of the trees, but he hesitated as the figure ascended. It wasn't Amaterasu, but an entirely unfamiliar creature. Water slid over the creature's black fur in waves, and red, red eyes stared into the clump of trees where Waka had retreated to. Did the creature notice him? Waka held his breath. The creature turned away, and Waka gasped in relief. Soon, another creature stepped out of the pool. And another. And another. Soon the pool was surrounded by grotesque, ape–like animals hissing and whispering to each other viciously. Waka stood frozen in the dark. What was he to do? He could stay, potentially be discovered, and then be mauled, or he could run and inform Izanagi of these things... and maybe escape. His eyes grew wide. What about Amaterasu? Had she been killed by these monsters? He became angry. What had they done to her?

_I can fight them. _He decided foolishly. He rolled his hands into fists and stepped forward, but he was caught, and a hand put over his mouth. He dried to yell but his assailant leaned in close to his ear.

"Be quiet, you idiot." Izanagi hissed. "Do you want to get everyone killed?" Waka stood absolutely still. "I will distract them. Go find Amaterasu and then warn the guards, but make _absolutely _sure that my daughter is safe." He released Waka, who turned to Izanagi in a terrified stare.

"But, sir, where do we go?" Waka cried.

"Get as many people as you can and gather them on your ship. If I'm not there in half an hour, leave. Travel back to the moon," Izanagi shuddered at the word, "and wait for my signal to return."

"But what if–" Waka tried.

"Just go! I'll make sure to contact you. And if I'm killed... Amaterasu is in charge. She will lead you. Now go!" He shoved Waka in the opposite direction of the ever-growing army of monsters, who ran towards the sound.

Waka bolted. He ran faster than he ever had in his life. He knew Amaterasu would not be at the Palace, but he had to save those innocent people. It was his responsibility now.

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><p><strong>Please, please, please review! It really motivates me to write faster, e.g. Last time wasn't really motivating. :( Anyways, I'll try to get out the next chapter in a couple weeks, but we'll see what my schedule's like. Also, constructive criticism is appreciated too!<strong>

**~ChattyCat**

**P.S. Thanks to everyone for the french notes, I actually took french this year so all I have to do is alter the past chapters! But who knows when I'll ever get to that.**


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